CHAPTER 22 #2
She kept them closed and slowly opened her left eye. “Have you taken me through your secret portal to hell?” she whispered up at me. “Do I finally get to meet your best friend satan?” she excitedly whispered, opening both eyes and I sighed, shaking my head down at her.
She flashed me a closed-mouthed smile as Logan opened the passenger door.
I carefully set her down, fastening her seat belt. “What happened, back there?” she asked, grabbing my arm. “There was more than one man and you told me to close my eyes. What did you do?” she hesitantly asked and I licked the corner of my mouth. Something told me that she already had a hunch.
“If I tell you, closing your eyes would’ve been pointless.”
“Just tell me,” she insisted. “I want to know.”
“We need to get you back home,” I said, moving back as I closed her door. I saw her eyes follow me as I rounded the car, stopping to talk to Logan. I instructed him to deal with the bodies, and the male nurse.
Nirah’s doctor was a good friend of mine, so it would be easy to clean up the mess.
“Boss?” he stopped me and I turned to him.
“I couldn’t hear everything, but there’s a link between Sylvester, Nirah and the man who had abused her a few years ago.
They were going to deliver her to him as one of his demands. ”
“Did you get a name?” I asked and he shook his head.
“But they referred to his partner as el Demonio …” I could almost laugh.
I got back into the car and we left the hospital. The car ride was quiet and I turned on the heater when she tried pulling her legs up onto the seat to cover them.
“I’m hurt, so you cant get mad,” she smiled, resting her feet on the seat and I glanced over at her.
“Wasn’t mad the first time, not mad now either,” I shook my head and her face lit up.
Her voice was tiny. “You weren’t?”
“ No .”
A smile stretched across her face as she turned away from me, looking out of the window. I missed that beautiful smile.
My phone suddenly rang and Cesar’s name flashed across my screen. I answered, lifting my cell phone to my ear.
“ Boss ,” he immediately said. “ I think I’ve gained a useful piece of information.”
“I thought I made myself clear. Untouched.” I did say not to touch him, didn’t I?
“I didn’t have to lift a finger,” he explained and I let out a heavy sigh.
Realizing that she was still next to me, I switched to Italian. We talked until finally, I ended the call.
“Speaking in another language while I’m alone in the car with you is quite disrespectful if you ask me,” she turned her body to the window. “But continue acting as if I’m not here,” she shrugged her shoulders.
“You don’t always have to know everything, tesoro ,” I side-eyed her and she scoffed.
“If it involves me then yes, I do.”
“Aren’t forced relationships built on trust?” I asked as we pulled into my driveway and her head snapped to me in disbelief. She narrowed her eyes at me and I couldn’t help but smile.
After parking the car I carried her back into the house. Rosalia immediately rushed to my side as I carried Nirah upstairs.
“Oh, Miss Nirah,” she fanned herself. “I’m so thankful you’re okay,” she sadly smiled.
“You can’t get rid of me that easily,” Nirah yawned and the two of them laughed together.
I carried her into her bathroom and Rosalia followed behind. I carefully placed Nirah down on the chair and she smiled.
“Just what I needed, how’d you know?” she asked Rosalia while dragging her hand through the bubbles in the bathtub.
“Miss Nirah always prefers a bubble bath after a stressful day,” Rosalia confidently answered.
“ This is why I love you,” Nirah pouted, putting her arms out to Rosalia. She hesitated, looking over at me for approval.
I crossed my arms over my chest, nodding towards Nirah.
“You just going to leave her hanging?” I asked and Rosalia’s face lit up.
“Of course not,” she said, leaning in to hug Nirah back. They shared a tight, long hug before pulling away.
“Have you called Lee like I asked?”
Rosalia nodded. “Yes sir. Miss Lee still has two hours of her flight left. She agreed to stay until she is no longer needed.”
“And Lee is…” Nirah slowly trailed off.
“Your nurse. She’ll be staying here to do rounds on you just like at the hospital.”
Nirah scoffed and I slightly tilted my head to the side. “Quite dramatic, De Luca,” she shook her head.
“Your health is important. I don’t care if you find me dramatic for wanting to make sure you don’t die on my watch.”
“Well then…” she slowly trailed off. “If you’re going to give me a nurse/babysitter, you might as well make him young, hot, and single,” she grinned, covering her top teeth with her tongue.
“Nirah, please,” I said and she pressed her lips into a thin line.
“Fine. I’m sorry. I’ll behave,” she lifted her hands—surrendering.
“We need to get you out of this, fast” Rosalia sighed disapprovingly as she lifted the hospital gown from Nirah’s legs.
“Blue has always been my color but this,” Nirah shook her head.
“I would agree,” Rosalia said and they both shared a knowing smile. She turned to me and cleared her throat. “Sir, would you like to stay and watch or would you care to give your lady some privacy?” she asked and I was taken aback by her words.
“Yeah, give your lady some privacy,” Nirah added, giving me a cheeky grin.
“A word, Rosalia,” I said walking into Nirah’s bedroom and she followed me.
“I have to deal with something downstairs. Cesar and I’ll both be occupied for a couple of hours.
When Logan arrives, tell him he needs to stay glued outside her door.
And when Lee gets here, you bring her straight to Nirah, do you understand? ”
She nodded. “Yes sir, I understand.”
“Good. Now, unless Nirah’s life is in danger, don’t disturb me.”
My eyes landed on Nirah as her hospital gown laid low on her hips—her back completely bare. She put her hair up and my eyes slowly trailed down her back.
Rosalia closed the bathroom door and Nirah slowly disappeared from my sight. I turned, heading straight for the door. I have a guest that requires all my attention .
I rolled my sleeves up to my elbows as I walked down the stairs leading into my basement. “Miss me?” I asked, looking at Sylvester and his head slowly lifted.
Cesar scoffed with a mischievous grin saying, “I was just about to complain about how quiet it’s been getting.”
I walked over to the steel table and placed my gun on top of it.
“I have learned some very interesting information that I need answers to,” I said, walking over to Sylvester. “And if I don’t get those answers, well then…” I crouched down to his level. “I think you know what will happen.”
I lifted his face, examining his low, red eyes. “I’m not telling you anything, so you might as well kill me,” he seethed and I sucked a quick breath in through my teeth.
“The satisfaction from those words is unexplainable. Cesar, give us a minute.”
I heard Cesar’s chair screech back as he stood up. “Yes sir.”
After he left, I spoke again. “Tell me who you report to. Tell me who’s so eager to get their hands on my woman.”
“Fuck you.”
I shook my head, standing up. “Wrong answer, Sylvester.”
I unwrapped the bandage around his ear, pulling it off and he tried suppressing a groan. I walked over to the steel table, slipping on my gloves before picking up my pliers.
“Since you can’t seem to keep your hands to yourself, I ought to help you.”
I walked over and he shook his head rapidly. “No, no, Diavolo , please—please—” he was cut off as I used the pliers to snap off his pinky finger. He wailed, trying to pull his arm from me. “Don’t do this—Ah!” he cried as I snapped off another finger.
He whimpered in pain as I went through all five of his fingers, letting them drop to the floor, one by one.
I stepped back, lightly swatting the blood off my gloves. I tossed the pliers onto the steel table, letting it land with a loud thud.
“I can’t tell you anything, so just stop,” he heavily breathed, sweat dripping down the sides of his face.
“ El Demonio ? Is that right?” I asked and his head snapped up to mine. His eyes that were once half closed, were now wide open.
“H—how did you—”
“Oh, come on, Sylvester. You’re insulting me,” I shook my head. “You’re more afraid of another man than you are of me?” I slightly tilted my head to the right.
“Y—you don’t under—understand— he’s crazy,” Sylvester trembled. I sighed, looking around the room.
“Well, I look forward to meeting him,” I shrugged my shoulders and Sylvester groaned, dropping his head. “Why don’t you tell me where to find him, hm?” I asked, roughly gripping his face with my hand. He stayed silent and I let go of his face, standing up.
“I’m a very patient man, Sylvester. But when my patience runs out… you do not want to be on the receiving end.”
“I know what you’re capable of, Diavolo ,” he swallowed hard, his head still hanging low.
“Yet you still fear another man over me, so clearly, you have no idea.”
“I’ve only ever heard rumors about you, I’ve never seen what you’ve done,” he heavily breathed, shaking his head. “I’ve seen El Demonio in action, so forgive me if I trust my own eyes over. some horror bedtime story,” he looked up at me.
I walked over to the table, picking up a blow torch. “All rumors have to start somewhere, don’t they?” I asked, turning the torch on, and a great blue flame spiked out.